


The Girl and the Grump

by Jackielovespie



Category: Game Grumps, youtube - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Beach Day, Being frightened, Eventual Smut, F/M, Friends with Suzy, Game Grumps - Freeform, I suck at tags, Jealous Dan, Job at the griddle, Lonely road trip, Obnoxious People, Photography, Pranks, Ross has issues, Silent Hill - Freeform, Videogames, barry the unicorn, dan is scared, drunk dan, first fanfic, free pancakes, grump sessions, horror games, too much shaving cream
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-25 09:12:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7526905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jackielovespie/pseuds/Jackielovespie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You're moving to LA. While you're just settling in you run into your old highschool friend Suzy. She offers you to stay with her and Arin for a while instead of the shitty motel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You're driving a car. Yay.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so this is my first fanfic!  
> Just a note (this could really help me out) if you see a spelling error please comment so I can fix it! Thanks!

It was a long trip from Michigan to LA. The radio kept you company, riding out the twisted roads. Hotels were pricy and you had to save cash for a place to live once you arrived in LA so you slept in your car. The journey was about a day and a half, not too bad but still boring. You'd gone through each CD twice now. Finally you cross into the city limits.  
"Welcome to Los Angeles (y/n)." You muttered to yourself sleepily. 

There was a motel 6 for $40 a night. It was a complete shit hole but it was the only thing you could afford at the time. You moved out here for a fresh start. To get away from your old life but it would take a while to find a steady job. You used the old gross motel shower to clean up. Once you were done it was off to job hunt! Quickly, you got dressed in a nice presentable outfit and head out to drive around and look. 

It'd been half an hour now and you still didn't find anyone who was hiring. The clock read 6:30 and you decided to try again tomorrow. That is until a "Help Wanted" sign grabbed your attention. It was in front of this place called The Griddle. They were open so you gave it a shot. 

"Hello? I couldn't help but notice the help wanted sign. What do I have to do to get hired?" You were determined to get this job, you needed money.  
"Well gee, I haven't heard someone so egar to work here in a while!" Said the lady behind the counter. You glanced at her name tag. It said Maggie in big letters and the smaller word under it read 'manager'. She was a thin older woman with dark brown hair streaked in gray, the same color of her eyes, a mysterious gray. "Tell you what kid? I'll give you a quick interview in the back office. If I like you, you're hired. That sound good?"  
"Sounds perfect!"

The questions Maggie asked you were pretty basic. "Why do you want to work here? What past experience do you have in a food joint? How are you with people?" After a good 20 minutes she hired you as a waitress, you'd start tomorrow. Yay. 

You thanked the woman and left. It had been a long day and you were ready for sleep. The drive back to the motel was boring with the exception of almost getting lost, being in an unfamiliar place and all. You slept well even though the mattress felt a bit like rock but it was still more comfy than your car. Tomorrow you'd start work.

~~~~NEXT DAY~~~~

"Last night a little dancer came dancin' to my door" Your phone alarm whet off at 5:30 playing Rebel Yell by Billy Idol. It didn't take a long time to get dressed, wash up and look not the way you look when you first wake up (like a dead person). You made it to the griddle just at 6. Three hours past of serving, one more hour to go and your shift would be done! It was 9:00 when the door opened and a person walked in. Something about them was strange, like you knew them from somewhere. Then it hit you. 

"Suzy!" You exclaimed running over (carefully) to hug your highschool best friend. 

"Oh my god (y/n)?! What are you doing here?" She shouted excitedly. 

"I just moved here yesterday!"

"Where are you staying?" 

"The motel 6 about 5 minutes from here."

"Oh no no no, you should come stay with me!"

"Wait are you sure?"

"I'm serious, it'd be like old times! And you shouldn't be paying like what? $50 a night to sleep in that dump."

"Oh Suzy I'd love to!"

"Well here's my number and address, when do you get off work?"

"An hour,"

"Okay sweet! Swing by whenever you're done then. Also could I get an orange juice and short stack to go?" 

You smiled at your old friend. She was still as pretty as when you were in highschool together. Back then you used to live in Florida.

"On the house." You smiled and handed her the food. After a little debating on who was paying for the food you finally got her to leave.

~~an hour later~~

You looked at the numbers and letters written down on the small piece of paper Suzy had given you with the address, and let out a sigh. You were so lucky you found her. It didn't take long to find the house. You pulled up into the driveway and knocked on the door. A man with brown hair that had a light streak on one side opened the door.

"Hey are you (y/n)?" He asked, slightly rhetorically. 

"Yeah that's me." You shrugged.

"I'm Suzy's husband, Arin. Nice to meet you!" You two shook hands and he invited you in. "Suzy the goose is out getting groceries right now actually so you're welcome to chill until she gets back. You're room is upstairs, first door on the left. Wanna play videogames or something?"

"Sure! What've you got?" 

"You any good at Overwatch?" He asked. You just smiled. 

"Let's do this!" You grinned. 

halfway through gameplay Arin shouted "Mei is bae!" 

"No she's garbage!" You laughed. "HAHA! GOT YOU NOW BITCH!" Arin yells like a complete madman. Just then Suzy came home holding bread, milk and other stuff she smiled at you but was on the phone so she proceeded to the kitchen. 

Just then out of nowhere, came a voice.  
"Who's this?" Whoever said that scared the living shit out of you. You squealed and jumped. "Oh shit sorry I didn't mean to scare you!" Said the guy standing behind the couch. You had kinda sorta fallen over during the scare and you were looking into the strangers eyes. They were a deep brown and full of concern even though the man looked like he was trying not to laugh. Arin however wasn't doing as good of a job and was laughing his ass off. Suzy walked in from the kitchen. 

"Uh Dan, this is (y/n). (Y/n), this is our friend Dan. (Y/n) is going to be staying with us for a while. We were friends in highschool and she just moved over here." Dan looked like he was only half paying attention to what Suzy was saying, he was more focused on the girl he accidentally frightened.


	2. Connecting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You connect more with Suzy and the guys.

There was a long period of staring after this Dan guy has scared you. For a moment it was like nobody else was in the room except the two of you. His big brown eyes looked almost empty yet so focused. Of course this peaceful (yet strange) moment was broken by the door being swung open by a man in a unicorn costume. This startled you and you completely fell of the couch with a 'thud'.  
"Holy shit are you okay?!" Someone shouted but you were a bit too dazed to know who. Suddenly Dan was standing over you, his wild hair standing up in all directions but his eyes met yours again and nothing mattered.  
"Don't just stand there! Help her up Danny!" Suzy practically ordered. Dan grabbed your hands and pulled you up to your feet.  
"Uhhhhhhh.....is this a bad time?" You almost forgot about the unicorn man standing in the opened doorway.  
"Hehe...(y/n), this is Barry." Arin giggled. The man gave an awkward smile.  
"Sorry for scaring you."  
"No no it's fine, I'm just a jumpy clutz." You offered, trying to make him feel better. He did look a bit down about it, probably just worried about if he accidentally hurt you.  
"Okay well let's get this session started!" Arin blurted out.

~~~a few hours pass~~~

Suzy had taken you up to the guest room so the boys could work on a new game. You had heard about their show but never realized how big it was. As you unpacked you could hear laughs and Arin cussing at the tv (because he sucks at videogames). A while later Suzy called you to help her with dinner. Really she had just ordered pizza and wanted help setting out paper plates. The boys stumble in, Barry stripped of his unicorn costume and Arin whispering something to Dan, making him laugh. As you all sat down, everyone turned their attention to you.

"So where are you from (y/n)?" Asks Dan. 

"Oh....um....kind of everywhere. I was born in (state you live in) but then spent my highschool years with Suzy in Flordia. Then I moved to Colorado and last place I lived was Michigan. Now I'm out here."

"Wow you moved far this time." Ross says, not taking his eyes off his pizza.

"Uhh, yeah. Kinda needed a new start."

"Is it cool to ask why?" Arin asked

"Lost my job, business went down the toilet." 

"That sucks." Everyone muttered.

"Wait what did you do again? Are you still doing stage tech?" Suzy asks. Probably the only person at the table who actually looked at you instead of their pizza, but you kept having the strange feeling that Dan was looking at you almost the whole time but you could never catch him doing so.

"Well I uh, did a lot of things. In Florida while I was in school I did stage tech. Lights and sound, spotlight, that sort of thing. In Colorado I was a journalist and in Michigan I was a car designer."

"Wow is there anything you didn't do?" Dan asked in amazement. 

"Ummmm well I was a bar tender and photographer at one point." Suzy laughed at this. 

"I remember when you first got your camera! You wanted to try it out and asked me to be your model! That's one of the things that got me into modeling!" She exclaimed.

"So you think about anything more permanent?" Barry asked, his mouth half full of pizza. 

"Yeah that's actually why I moved out here. To find a job that I can stick with for a while."

For the rest of dinner, you talked about the game grumps, StarBomb, and NSP. That's when Suzy perked up.  
"Hey maybe if (y/n) doesn't have work tomorrow, you guys could take her to a grump session? I think she'd love that!" Suzy chimed in. Everyone looked at you. Maggie had said with the addition of weekends you get Friday off. Tomorrow was Friday. You nodded your head and smiled.  
"That sounds fantastic!" You grinned and Suzy while Arin volunteered to throw everyone's plates out.

After dinner, Barry put his unicorn outfit back on and said his goodbyes. He apologized once more for scaring you right before he left.  
"Hey, Suz and I are gonna get to bed. G'night guys." Arin yawned, dragging slowly behind Suzy up the stairs. Just you and Dan remained awkwardly on the couch.

"So how long you gonna stay here?"

"I'm LA or with Suzy and Arin?"

"With Suzy and Arin."

"Oh....until I find a better and more stable job."

"Where are you working now?" 

"The Griddle."

"Holy shit no way, I love that place!"

"Yeah the pancakes are pretty good but sooo big!"

"Here one sec, I gotta show you some pictures of Arin!" He pulled out his phone and showed you before and after pictures of a very confident Arin and then a very defeated Arin after attempting to eat all the pancakes.

"Oh my god his face! Poor guy!" You giggled.

"It's pretty great isn't it? And you're pretty great too ya know. I'm glad you moved out here you seem super cool. I should actually be getting home now so I guess I'll see you at the grump session tomorrow! Goodnight!" He hugged you and left you just like that. The goodbye seemed very hasty but there was something about this Dan guy....he was different.

As you lied in bed trying to sleep your mind kept rushing back to how excited you were about seeing Dan tomorrow. It almost felt like if you fell asleep, you'd miss tomorrow! But as the minutes went on and the more you thought about tomorrow, you slowly drifted to sleep.


	3. Controller battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You keep having awkward moments with Dan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY I HAVE NOT BEEN POSTING!!! Now that school has started I'll be more on track I'm really sorry I've had a lot going this summer but I'll start posting more often now. Thanks! Enjoy! This is by far my favorite chapter so far.

You woke the next morning to laughter and yelling. At first glance to your alarm clock, you realized that it was noon and the guys were supposed to pick you up in 10 minutes. Guess they were already downstairs. As quick as you could, you threw on some clothes, made sure you don't look dead, and rushed downstairs. Danny, Arin, Barry and some other dude were all wrestling over an Xbox controller. Dan gave up and laid on his back giggling while Arin bashed him in the face with a throw pillow. The guy you've never seen before dropped the controller and it landed at your feet. Everyone froze as you bent down to pick it up. Out of nowhere Dan yelled "ATTACK!!!"  
Everyone ran at you. Of corse you ran away because it beats being trampled.

You weren't the most athletic but you could run fast for a short period of time. You finally lost them after they chased you outside and all through the yard. You found a good hiding place in the guest bedroom down in the basement. It has been a good 7 minutes when you wondered if you could sneak into then bathroom across the hallway. You thought that might be a dumb idea but you did it anyway. 

It didn't sound like anyone was around. You could hear Barry yelling outside for you to come out and it sounded like Arin was out there too. You knew Suzy wasn't home but someone was walking in the kitchen. You could hear the floor creak from down there so you decided to go for it. You were halfway through the bathroom door when someone grabbed you by the waist, cupped a hand your mouth, and dragged back to the guest room. You couldn't tell who it was but they were strong. 

"Just tell me where you put the controller (y/n) and this will all be over." It was Dan. His voice wasn't as soft and caring as it usually sounded. This voice was dark and demanding yet there was a hint of playfulness. Shivers crawled up and down your spine as his arms snaked tighter around you. You remembered before you went to bed, Suzy telling you something about her being gone in the morning to do stuff and if the boys fight over the controller, hide it. And that's just what you did. Dan removed his hand from your mouth allowing you to speak. 

"I'll never tell!" You declared. Dan just grunted.

"Alright then, guess I'll have to subside to torture!" He chuckled and he began viciously tickling you. You were pretty ticklish and this didn't help your case. Luckily you quickly wrestled him off of you and made a run for it but he was right on your tail. You haven't even left the room yet when he grabbed your shirt. The suddenness caused both of you to collapse, Dan right on top of you with his hands on either side of your head.

"Oh hey there...heh" he awkwardly giggles. "Wanna maybe tell me where that controller is now?" Silently, you pointed to a pillow on the bed. Grinning, he picked you up bridal style, set you on the bed and began feeling the pillows for the controller. Once he found it, he picked you back up, carried you upstairs and into the living room, controller high in the air yelling "I AM THE CHAMPION! SUCK IT ARIN! SUCK IT ROSS! SUCK IT BARRY!" At this point the only thing you could do was stare at him wondering what was happening. 

"GODAM IT!" Arin yelled. Dan set you down on the couch as Barry explained someone (a raging Arin) broke the other controllers and only one person could play Xbox while they waited for you to get up. It started as an argument of who got to play but turned into something bigger. Dan had won but you were awake and ready so it didn't matter anymore. You were wondering why they kept trying to get the remote if they knew you were awake but you decided not to ask, they were probably too deep in the argument to care who got to play but who was right.

"Alright so are we gonna get going?" You ask, still a little flustered from Dan.  
"Yeah sounds good. Oh and this is Ross by the way." Arin said pointing to the guy with short hair. Ross gave a little wave and smile and everyone headed to the car.

Arin drove with Ross sitting shot gun. You were stuck in the middle of Dan and Barry. Two minutes into the surprisingly quiet car ride you heard the scratchy sound of something being taken out of a wrapper. Next to you, Barry a sneakily attempted to slide a stick of gum into his mouth without anyone noticing. You gave you a questioning look as he put a finger to his mouth in attempt to tell you to be quiet about this. Within the next second, Arin yells from the driver's seat.  
"WHO HAS GUM?" There was an even more awkward silence then before. The soundlessness lasted a steady five seconds until Barry made the mistake of biting down on a small air pocket in the gum.  
'Click'  
"Shit..." Everybody turned to Barry.  
"Ay yo I'm driving so I'm leaving it up to you guys....GET THE BASTARD!" Arin screamed. Danny flung himself over you and Ross shot around sticking his arms over the seat. Barry cowered in fear pushing himself as far as he could go into the seat. Danny and Ross clawed viciously at the air toward Barry who at that point was using you as a human shield. Arin laughed evilly from the driver's seat.  
"You know the rules man! If you're gonna chew gum you gotta at least offer the rest of us some man!"  
"Okay okay! Who wants gum?" Nobody said or did anything to indicate they wanted gum. "Wait nobody wants any?!"  
"Dude we're going to go eat right now, do you really want gum taste in your mouth?" Ross pointed out.  
"Well then why did you guys make such a big deal?!" Barry asked.  
"To maintain order!" Arin boomed for the front seat. Dan was giggling the whole time, still half over your lap when Arin slammed on the break and sent you flying half into lap. You were both presses up against the car door, your faces inches apart.  
"Oooooooooh!" Barry giggled like a little girl. You awkwardly pulled yourself off of Dan as Arin and Barry made kissing sounds. Ross giggled and coughed awkwardly. Luckily you had gotten to the restaurant before any other weird shit happened.


	4. Some weird shit happens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eat breakfast and head to the grump space to watch the guys work and goof off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY ABOUT THAT LING BREAK I WILL UPDATE MORE OFTEN I PROMISE! <3

The restruant was a small diner with some generic/catchy diner name. It was about 10:30 or so but it wasn't that packed, kinda peaceful actually; but with this group, you knew that wouldn't last long. Everyone took their seats at a rectangle table in the back of the room. Arin sat at the end of the table with you and Dan on either side of him. Barry sat next to Dan and Barry took the seat next to you. 

Everybody's food came and you all had a nice discussion about things that made Arin want to punch people for. Ya know, normal stuff. After the food was all gone and paid for, you all happily stumbled back to the car.  
"I think I ate too much..." Ross half groaned, kind of like he was impressed and disappointed in himself at the same time. Barry poked his tummy from the back seat muttering,  
"Food baby," you laughed, having felt the same way. 

The ride to the Grump Space was short and rather peaceful. Arin and Dan gave you the tour.  
"And this is the game room!" Dan announced, opening the door. You took a seat in a chair and watched the boys discuss what games they were going to play today. "Arin, we've gotten everything done for this week surprisingly. We never really get days where we have nothing unless you want to get a head start into next week?" Asked Dan.  
"Well we could but then (y/n) is just gonna have to sit there for 13 or so hours and watch." Arin glanced at you and have a little wave.  
"Well," said Dan, "we haven't done a guest grumps in a while. That way we'd have something to do and (y/n) wouldn't be bored out of her shit."  
"(Y/n) you in?" Asked Arin.  
"Wait. You're asking me to be on your show? Hell yeah!" You jump up on to the couch, sitting comfortably in between the boys. 

You ended up playing Assassian's Creed Black Flag because it was the first thing you could dig up.  
"Hello lovelies!" Dan whispered very close to the mic.  
"Welcome back to guest grumps! Today we have (f/n) (l/n) with us today. She's Suzy's highschool friend and she's staying with us for a while!"  
"Uhhh....hi everyone?" You paused. "Did I do that right?" You whispered to Dan who only laughed and told you you did fine. Arin lasted a good 3 minutes of gameplay before getting pissed at the strange controls.  
"I CAN NOT CATCH THIS FUCKER WHAT THE HELL I HOPE HE FALLS OFF THAT CLIFF!"  
"Does he always do this?" You whispered to Dan.  
"At least once per game."  
"Ah. Here can I see?" You asked, reaching for the controller. Arin laughed.  
"HA! Good luck this is one sneaky bastard!" His voice had a hint of aggression in it. You made it first try. "HOW DID YOU-? WHAT?" Arin swiped the controller away from you and grumbled as he continued on with the story. He had slid on to the floor, leaving the couch to you and Dan. 10 minutes went by of laughter and strange conversation with occasional angry Arin. You almost didn't notice the fact that your head was resting on Dan's shoulder until he sneezed, scaring the shit out of you. As you shot upward, you knocked heads with Dan and fell off the couch pulling him with you. Dan was laying on top of you, hands on either side of your head and your faces close together. Instead of doing anything about it you just stared at eachother either waiting for someone go move or say something. Arin broke the silence.  
"Well because none of you saw that, Dan and (y/n) fell off the couch and are now on top of eachother." There was another period of time with no words, just Arin giggling.  
"Okay well you better take me to dinner first." You laughed. Dan finally snapped back into the real world and quickly got off of you and apologized multiple times. After telling him it was okay (multiple times) he helped you up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it!


	5. Bonding and wanting to die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay so the grump session as finished and you go to places with the gang but read ittttt!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO SORRY lied abou updating sooner. It's been like 192 days lol. Love you babies<3

After that whole awkward spiel with Dan, the gameplay continued. Arin had begun describing this wet dream he had with Betty White (which was way too much information in your opinion) but it was pretty funny. Time went by, jokes were said and tears were spilt (happy ones). You didn't realize it had been half an hour until Dan suddenly yelled,  
"Holy shit, it's been half an hour!" They concluded the episode and Arin held out his hand to assist you off the couch. 

"Hey what time is it?" You asked.   
"Ummm about 12:30 give or take" said Dan, grinning at you. You wondered how you managed to have him fall on you twice. Both were clumsy accidents but it kept happening. Just then you realized you had been starring at him.   
"Yo (y/n), you okay?" Arin grinned at you.   
"Uhh yeah *cough* sorry I space out a lot." Sheepishly you followed the boys out of the recording room and over to Barry's desk.   
"So anything you wanna do that you haven't gotten to yet, (y/n)?" Asked Arin, "there's a farmer's market and an automotive museum." You all agreed that the farmers market sounded good for today because Dan and Barry needed groceries and the weather was beautiful. 

Once Dan informed Ross of what was happening and everyone was in the car, it seemed like another half hour went by. The short trip was loud and seemed never ending. Arin was blasting Beyoncé while him and Ross screamed along. Barry was drumming on the back of the driver seat and Dan was attempting to put an opera spin on it. You were just an innocent stander by who wanted nothing more but to cut their ears off. 

It seemed like forever but you finally made it in one piece and with most of your sanity. Apparently Arin had called Suzy because she was already waiting for you in the parking lot. You all began to walk around and look at the stands. Arin and Suzy broke off to go be cute together, Barry had chased a butterfly into a small park right next to the market and Ross went to a flower stand to buy something for his wife, Holly. It was just you and Dan of corse because this always happens some how. 

The two of you awkwardly shuffled around the different stands and venders. Dan looked at you bashful and grinning.   
"So you likening it here?" He asked kindly.   
"Yeah, lot warmer than Michigan and Colorado but it's nice. I can't wait to go to the beach." Just as you said that, his eyes lit up.   
"The beach sounds amazing! Hey, maybe I could give you a tour of the area or something tomorrow? Just the two of us?" He hesitated, "unless you want to invite everyone else." You considered it for a moment. You could get to be alone with Dan for the day. You didn't know him that well but he was so nice to you, not to mention extremely handsome. Then you considered how awkward you might act because of this, but then again maybe just the two of you would create less chaos so you could actually learn about the area.   
"Maybe just us would be better, everyone packed into one car is kinda hectic." You suggested. He eagerly smiled.   
"Sounds like a date!" You both turned bright red at this. Suddenly, Barry slammed into the back of you, pushing you into Dan. You fell into his arms and he fell to the grassy floor. Barry gasped.   
"I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T SEE YOU! THE BUTTERFLY! AND-" you cut him off and began laughing.   
"Barry it's totally fine!" You looked at a confused Dan laying right under you and grinned as you pulled yourself up. Sticking out your hand, he grabbed it almost immediately and didn't seem to want to let go after he was on his feet. You tussled Barry's hair and grinned.   
"Just a sec!" Running back to a far away vendor. You returned about 3 minutes later holding a handmade butterfly net you got at a stand. "There, this will make things easier." His eyes lit up and he ran away into the distance. You didn't notice Dan smile at you. It was kind and happy. He was glad someone was as sweet to his friends as he tried to be. 

An hour later, Arin drove the boys home and you went in Suzy's car. Everyone said goodbye and you and Dan arranged to start driving around 10 am. He left and you went to jump in the shower and prepared for bed. Tomorrow was going to be an adventure.


	6. And maybe you actually die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's some angst :3

6

You woke up early and got ready. You dresses a little nicer than normal with a cute t shirt a jean shorts rather than just being trash like normal. You brushed your teeth, did make up, bla bla bla etc. ten minutes after you finished, you heard Dan pull up in the driveway. Getting in the car, you were greeted with his smile.   
"You know what miss (y/n), I just realized I don't have your phone number." He handed you his phone. You typed in your number and saw he had already wrote (cute goofy nickname). You grinned and blushed a bit when handing it back. Alrighty, let's get this show on the road!

He started out by showing you a lot of the best restaurants in town. You ended up having a brunch sort of late breakfast at a place with some weird name that had Louie in it. You both you and Dan had the Lox Benedict, which were fantastic. After, Dan insisted you get a box of macaroons and you were on your way. 

He took you shopping on the way to Santa Monica. The beach was amazing! You had remembered to grab your bathing suit and both you and Dan were eager to get in the water. He awkwardly took off his shirt and you more awkwardly took off your shirt and shorts with your swim wear under. You stepped into the cold water timidly. Dan then became impatient, waiting for you to get in. He snuck up behind you grinning.   
"DAN WHAT-!" He picked you up from behind, bridal style. You protested and squirmed in his arms as he giggled and stepped deeper in the water with you. Once he was deep enough, he dropped you playfully on your butt, soaking you in the ocean water. 

You squealed and huffed as you looked up at him.  
"Hi there (y/n)." He grinned. You got up and tackled him for revenge. A wave broke over the two of you and the undertow pushed you down and pulled you out of Dan's arms. You struggled and fought to resurface, but the ocean was strong. It wasn't even supposed to be a bad day for waves, but things like this are always so unpredictable. You were almost out of breath. You thought about your family and friends...your new friends.......you thought about Dan and how things were. You couldn't stop thinking about him at night, this guy was stuck in your head and you wanted something with him. Water stung the inside of your nose and your eyes drifted closed. Your body slowly became limp as the ocean threw you like a rag doll. 

The next thing you knew, a strong pair of arms pulled you up from the water. A hand forced down lightly on your upper chest and you coughed up a little water. Someone was holding you bridal style. You opened your eyes, expecting to find Dan. Instead of the soft brown eyes you wanted, you were met with sharp blue ones. You looked up at the man holding you. He was tall, muscular and blond.   
"Hey there, you alright?" The man smiled, but the questioned seemed more flirtatious than concerned. You coughed slightly.   
"Uhh yeah...my head hurts." You groaned. He laughed and you looked back up at his chiseled features. He was very handsome.   
"(Y/N)!"  
You heard Dan and some fast approaching footsteps.  
"Calm down man, she's okay. I'm just going to take her in for a check up and I'll send her on her way. You then realized this guy was a lifeguard and that's how he found you. He was trained for finding people who got swept away and Dan probably called for help when you were pulled away from him. 

The man carried you into a tiny shed like place that was full of lifeguard equipment. He sat you down on a small table.   
"Hey, sorry by the way, I'm Dave." He smiled at you. It seemed a bit cocky but whatever. "Do you have blurred vision, nausea, a headache, loss of sight or any unnatural vision or head problems?" He asked.   
"No, just a headache." You responded. After a few more of these questions plus a vision test, he gave you some Motrin and told you you were good to go. He walked you out of the shed where Dan was waiting.   
"And hey lovely, if you need anything, give me a ring." Dave handed you a small card with a number written on it. He winked and walked back in the shed. Dan looked pissed.   
"Hey are you okay?!" He asked, pulling you into a deep yet startling hug. It lasted for a good long while until you told him you were fine and you had a headache. He nodded, still seeming upset about something and handed you your clothes.   
"Dan what's up?" You asked, noticing how aggressive and distant he seemed, like he was thinking about something that was angering him.   
"Nothing," he muttered, picking you up bridal style and carrying you to the car.   
"Dan! I can walk!" You shrieked in surprise, wrapping your arms around his neck from the suddenness.   
"Yeah I know. Call Suzy, you're staying at my place tonight." He said, trying to be softer but still sounding upset.   
"Umm okay...you sure?" He just set you in the passenger's seat and nodded. You called Suzy and folder her you almost drowned and the whole thing with Dave. At the mention of that name, Dan's grip on the steering wheel seemed to tighten. From the other end you heard Suzy.   
"Oh...I see," she muttered. "You're okay though, right?"  
"Yeah I'm okay, just sore." She told you she'd bring some extra clothes, makeup, hairbrush, bla bla bla over to Dan and Barry's house in about an hour. It was about 3:30 now. 

The trip there was mostly quiet, but you appreciated it. "Umm, Dan?"  
You asked softly.   
"What's up (y/n)?" He seemed much more relaxed now thank god.   
"Why do you want me to stay with you tonight? Not that I don't want to, I'm just wondering." He took a minute to consider.  
"Well I guess I just felt responsible today when you slipped away from me, and I couldn't save you. I just need to feel like I can check on you and you'll be alive and well....you scared me." You thought about how much this man actually cares about you.   
"Well I'm okay now, someone got to me."   
"Yeah, butt actually care about you! All that guy cared about was getting in your pants!" He seemed upset now. You put an arm on his shoulder and felt him relax. "Sorry, it just angers me that a guy so narcissistic and careless saved someone I happen to care for instead of me." He kept his eyes on the road, but you looked at his soft face. The prickles from his patchy facial hair were becoming obvious, like he hadn't shaved in a while. You leaned over and gave him a small, quick kiss on the cheek and whispered,   
"thanks Dan." Laying back in your seat and nap the rest of the way home.


	7. Recovery and awkwardness.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically you're at Dan's house now. Stuff happens. Read the story. And sorry this chapter is a bit shorter.

You awoke to the unsteady rumble of the opening garage door. The little clock on the car radio read 4:36. Just under it in little moving letters, Def Leppard, then Hysteria, then the name of the radio station. You glanced over to the driver's seat. Dan was completely relaxed now, a small smile on his face. You didn't really remember the events of the car ride, just everything before.  
"Hey there, how was sleepy time junction?" Dan smiled at you while he pulled into the garage. You gave him a questionable look.  
"Sleepy time what?" He chucked.  
"Ah nothin. Well, we're here. How do feel? Still got a headache?" Your entire body felt sore, like you had done three days of boot camp.  
"Everything hurts." That came out a bit whiny, but you didn't care at this point. 

Dan assisted you in the house and laid you down on his bed. He insisted on sleeping on the pull out couch. He made you some tea and shortly after, Suzy came and dropped your stuff off. Of course she mothered you for twenty minutes before leaving. Barry came home from hanging out with Ross about 30 minutes later. Dan explained why you were there and Barry came in to see if you were okay. He left after a while to go to a friends house. It was just you and Dan.  
Dan left to grab a pizza and you, feeling nasty from the beach, decided to take a shower. You made it painfully into the bathroom and began to undress yourself. You were just in your bra and underwear when in the corner of your eye, you caught the mirror. It shows a big black bruise on your back, a small cut on your shoulder and a few smaller injuries across your body. Just then, the garage door went and you knew Dan was home. 

You folded your clothes and placed them on the toilet seat and grabbed a towel. Just as you were reaching for the faucet to turn on the water, frantic footsteps caught your attention. The next thing you knew, the bathroom door swung open.  
"(Y/N)!?!" Dan had come home, and when you weren't in bed he panicked. He stood there, mouth open and eyes wide. Your cheeks turned bright red and your face began to look panicked. 

"Is it the bruises? I know there's a lot." You knew Dan had been with plenty of women before because of some funny stories Arin told you, so why was he so awestruck. It had to be the bruises, right? Dan quickly averted his gaze to the floor after another five good seconds of staring.  
"Call me if you need anything." He grumbled quickly and slammed the door. Your face was a bit flushed from the situation but you continues to undress and get in the shower.  
After drying off, you got dressed and brushed your hair, thinking about how weird Dan was being earlier. It's not like he hasn't see girls in their underwear. He saw you with your bathing suit on earlier so what was the big deal? 

You clumsily walked out of the bathroom and found Dan sitting at the table with pizza and glasses of Sprite all ready.  
"Feeling better?" You took your seat across from him.  
"A little, the shower helped a lot." He smiled and you two ate pizza and talked.  
"You want to watch a movie before bed?" Dan suggested. You gave a small smile and nodded. "Cool, what are you feeling? Comedy or thriller?"  
"Oh I love thrillers!" You hated gory movies, but thrillers were exciting and also had the potential to make you think without throwing up in your mouth because someone was hacked to bits with an ax.  
"I've got a few here, Lady in the Water, Signs, the Alien trilogy-"  
"I love Alien!" You interrupted, your face immediately becoming red from a minor embarrassed feeling. Dan just smiled at you.  
"Alien it is!"

You got yourself off the kitchen chair slowly and Dan rush to your aid. With a little support, you made it into the living room and sat on the couch. Dan put the movie in, turned down the lights and took a seat next to you. The movie was going smoothly until a pop up you forgot about caught you by surprise and you grabbed onto Dan, burying your face into his chest. He giggled at you and gingerly rubbed your back, being careful of the bruises.  
"Hey there, you okay?" His voice was soft and sweet. You took a deep breath and nodded and turned your head to see the tv. You were laying your head on his chest and he put an arm over you, making you feel safe. Another 20 minutes and you fell asleep. 

"(Y/n? Hey did you fall asleep?" Dan asked quietly when the movie ended. You didn't respond, being exhausted from the day made you that much heavier of a sleeper. Dan grinned to himself and wiggles out from under you. He went up to his room and prepared the bed, came back down, picked you up and put you in it. Just as he covered you, your eyes opened slowly.  
"Dan?" Your voice was sleepy.  
"Hey it's okay I'm just putting you to bed." He whispered and brushed some hair from your face.  
"Dan....could you stay with me. I'm a little afraid from today and the movie didn't help much.." You seemed very disoriented, but Dan just smiled down at you.  
"If you want me to I can." He grabbed an extra blanket and laid down at the foot of the bed. "Goodnight (y/n). Sleep sweetly."  
"Goodnight Dan...thank you" and with that, you drifted into unconsciousness.


	8. Cheese and other stuff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait for the few people who actually read this. My school has this weird thing where if you get good grades you don't have to take the exams so I've been cracking down. This one is kinda long. Anyway, enjoy.

You awoke to the sunlight hitting your face through the blinds. A sleepy Dan picked his head up from the foot of the bed. You noticed how his hair was completely matted on one as he yawned.  
"Good morning," he smiled at you and stretched.  
"Hmm," you smiled "hi Dan."  
"You want breakfast?"  
"Yeah that sounds nice." You grinned and he got up, walking to the bedroom door. As you watched him, you happened to notice the tent in his pants. I mean, you knew morning wood was a thing but dam. 

You spent a good five minutes in bed, blushing until you felt adult enough to put on a bra and help Dan with breakfast. The second you got your bra on, Dan screamed from the kitchen. You quickly pulled your baggy gray Led Zeppelin shirt over your head and ran downstairs. Dan was sitting on the floor giggling, his hair was covered in half cooked egg with shredded cheese all over the place. 

"Dan! Are you okay? What happened?" You began to walk faster to help him up, but the more speed you picked up, the more your body hurt. 

"No! (Y/n) stop! You'll hurt yourself!" Just as the last words left Dan's mouth, your legs gave out and you let out a surprised squeak, pulling your eyes closed. When you opened your eyes, your face was inches from Dan's and a small, quiet gasp left your mouth. He just smiled up at you. "We really need to stop running into each other like this." Dan's words made your face red and you tucked some hair behind your ear. He helped you up and dusted the cheese off both you and himself. 

"Sorry...what happened here?"

"Heh, well um....while I was making your omelet, Arin sent me a text but I didn't realize how loud the ringer was and when I jumped, well one thing led to another and here we are." He smiled as you sat on the floor right next to him. Nobody did anything for a while, you were just staring at each other, well that is until Barry walked in the front door. 

"Woah what happened? Did you jerks have a cheese fight and not invite me?!" He looked really down suddenly and you and Dan began to giggle. 

"No Barry, I was just spooked while making breakfast and this kind of happened." He smiled down at you and Dan, then helped you up and the three of you began to clean up the mess. You went to go get dressed and the boys fixed and finished making breakfast by the time you returned. It had taken you awhile from still being sore. It's not fun when the ocean throws you against the sand and rocks like a rag doll until you almost pass out and die. 

The three of you talked about old 80's music and movies while you ate. It was nice to get to know Barry a little better, but you couldn't help but pay more attention when Dan spoke. He was just mesmerizing. Suddenly, you remembered that tomorrow was Monday. 

"Oh shit....I have work tomorrow." You muttered. Your muscles seemed a little more sore than yesterday and you knew that the tomorrow would be the worst. Everyone pondered how to get you out of work. You had just started so it's not like you had any vacation time, and you felt bad only working one day last week and beginning this one by using sick days. "I'm just gonna call my boss."

You found Maggie's contact and hit the little green call button. You glanced over at Dan while it rang. He looked concerned. Just then you heard Maggie's voice. 

"Hey hon, how are you doing?"

"Hi Maggie, so umm...there was an accident at the beach yesterday and I was pulled in with the undertow." You finished telling her about almost being killed by the ocean and getting pulled out and now being incredibly sore. You finished asking her if there was anything she could do to make work easier for you just tomorrow and she thought for a moment. 

"Okay, how about you come in from 8:00 to 12:30 and sit behind the bar. Less walking and you can even sit up at the front and take orders. Almost no walking. That sound good hon?"

"Really? That sounds perfect! Thank you so much. I really appreciate it-" Maggie cut you off mid praise. 

"Don't worry about it hon, I know what it's like to be pulled out into open water. It hurts." You did a sad but happy, almost sympathetic smile and thanked her once more. "No problem, just get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow." Maggie hung up. 

"Well, what's gonna happen?" Asked Dan. 

"I'm just gonna take orders behind the bar. It's the job with the least about if moving." Both Dan and Barry smiled at you. 

"So what are we gonna do for the rest of the day?" Barry asked, looking around the house. Dan just smiled. 

"I'll be right back." He got up and walked away, leaving you alone with Barry. The two of you shrugged at each other and cleared the table so you could begin doing the dishes. Dan returned 5 minutes later and told you to come with him. You looked back at Barry, who shrugged again and you decided to follow Dan. You took five steps, and out of nowhere, a stinging pain shot up from your left calf. Luckily, Dan caught you as it gave out. 

"Ehhh, that hurts." You said through gritted teeth. The pain was minor now, so Dan helped you to your feet. The second pressure was put on it, the sharp stabbing feeling returned. 

"Here," Dan picked you up bridal style and carried you to the bathroom. He sat you on the closed toilet seat, pulling up your pant leg. You couldn't see any cuts, just some bruises. Your whole muscle ached. As Dan began to run his hand over it, you noticed the bathtub was full and the room smelled like vanilla and lavender. 

"What's this?" You looked down at Dan, who was on his knees in front of you still rubbing your aching calf. 

"I ran you a warm bubble bath and put some of those muscle relaxing lavender salts in. I also lit this candle Suzy got me." He gestured to the vanilla candle sitting on the shelf next to the bath. Why did he do this for you? He didn't have to. He didn't have to be so sweet, or make you breakfast, or sleep at the foot of your bed in to make sure you were okay or do such a thoughtful thing as this....why does he do this? Without thinking, you threw yourself off the closed toilet seat and wrapped your arms around him. You felt Dan's body stiffen with surprise, but soon relax as he hugged you back. 

"Thank you Dan....you didn't have to do any of this ya know?"

"Yes I do. Someone has to take care of you. It's not like you can do it yourself right now. Or very well at least." He sat you back up, tussled your hair and stood. "You're my friend, (y/n), I'm not just gonna leave you helpless like that." He smiled at you and left the room, closing the door behind him. 

He walked into the kitchen where Barry was sitting.

"Hey is something wrong man?" Barry asked. Dan was silent for a moment. 

"(Y/n) is so perfect...I can't tell her how I feel! I've never been this nervous about a woman before, Barry. I know we just a few days ago but she's kind and sweet and fun. I feel so guilty letting her slip out of my hands yesterday. I want her to know I feel so bad."

"Oh I see." Barry looked down at the table, and back up at Dan. "Hey, you seem to be doing a great job so far, you're taking great care of her."

"You think so Barry?"

"Yeah, you're goin way out of your way to make her comfortable and happy. You're doing enough." Dan fell quiet for a moment. 

~~~~Back to you~~~~

You slowly undressed yourself, being careful around your injured areas. Finally, you dipped a toe in the bath water. It was the perfect temperature. Your body sank in and you let out a deep sigh and relaxed. The water felt so soothing. You began to think about Dan and how sweet he was to you. You liked him. You liked him a lot. Nobody and been this caring in a long time. You needed this...you needed someone like Dan. 

After a while, the water began to get colder and you slowly lifted yourself out. You found the pajamas Dan had set out for you and put them on. Your body smelled like lavenders and your hair smelled like coconut from the shampoo you washed your hair with. You smiled at yourself in the mirror. The past two days weren't perfect, but some how you were still so happy with how they turned out. The second you stepped into the living room, you knew it was because of Dan.


	9. Work work work work work work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's so much grump stuff I could include I've just been trying to figure out what to use and where. Anyway enjoy! <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have suggestions please comment! <3

The pajamas Dan gave you were his. You assumed he couldn't find yours and though you had gotten dressed before, you realized you'd probably just be relaxing all day. His pants were big on you. The legs had to be rolled up a bunch but the waist was okay. They were gray with cute green and purple monsters patterned on them. The shirt was wayyyy too but though. It was a plain black shirt. You noticed three little holes near the bottom left. You shrugged and continues into the living room. 

When you wandered back into the living room, Dan was sitting crossed leg on the couch. His pajama pants were back with the words "fuck it" written all over in white. He had on a red Jane's Addiction shirt and was putting the finishing touches on a pillow fort. 

"What's this?" You giggled slightly. 

"I made a pillow fort because we're gonna relax all day until Suzy comes to pick you up." He got up and out his hand to you. You took it and he led you to under the the "ceiling" of the fort. There was popcorn and coke cans all ready for you. 

"Where's Barry?" You asked, suddenly looking around. 

"Oh he left to go help Arin with something." Dan turned on the TV and settled comfortably next to you. "What do you wanna watch?" Dan asked as he scrolled through Netflix. 

" I don't quite know..." The suddenly out of the corner of your eye, you saw one of your favorites. "WAIT! IS THAT THE PRINCESS BRIDE?!" 

"IT SURE IS! THAT MOVIE IS FAN-FUNCKIN-TASTIC!" 

"DAM STRAIGHT IT IS!" Both of you fell silent as Dan began to play the movie. Everything else around you stood still. The only movements were hands slowly pulling up globs of popcorn. You didn't even notice your hand brush Dan's until you noticed him shift slightly. You turned your head to look at him, trying to see what was wrong. You noticed the slight blush under his patchy facial hair and he smiled. 

"Heh....sorry about that." Dan said. 

"What?"

"I touched your hand."

"Oh that's fine I didn't even notice." The two of you stared at each other for a long time. Well you didn't really know how much time passed, it was peaceful. Out of nowhere, the front door swung open. 

"I'm here!!!!" Sang an all so familiar voice. You and Dan struggled to get up out of the blanket tent. The two of you poked your heads up like little prairie cats over the blankets to see Suzy and Arin. 

"Where's Barry? I thought he was with you?" Dan asked, standing up and brushing off the popcorn from his lap after helping you slowly to your feet. 

"Oh no he said he needed to go buy some....something weird I don't remember." As Arin racked his brain, Suzy made the nose excited face. 

"Oh my god I love this movie! Is it cool if we stay a little while and finish it with you guys?" Dan nodded and Suzy pulled Arin into the pillow fort. You shrugged and Dan and the two of you followed. 

After the movie finished, you gathered your things and said bye to Dan. It felt a little uncomfortable leaving without him. You listened to Suzy and Arin discuss some convention but after a while you spaced. Your mind wandered to how much fun you've had since you've been here. The friends you made and the things you've done. The next thing you know you're finally home. 

Suzy helped carry your stuff inside and Arin helped you upstairs to your room to put everything away. The rest of the day was quite easy really, you just relaxed downstairs with everyone and went to bed after dinner. You were gonna need lots of rest tomorrow for work. You laid awake in bed for an hour. It was 10:00 at night when you started to drift off. 

Your alarm woke you up at 6:00. As quickly as you could, you got dressed and ready, making it just in time for work. Maggie smiled at you as you took your place at the bar. It gets the busiest around 9 but cools down after 10 is what you heard from other employees. You got orders from a few costumers here and there but nothing too crazy. It was only 7:30. Yikes could this day be slower? Maggie suddenly approached you. 

"Hey hon, I hired a new guy yesterday, I'm asking everyone just to kinda help him out for his first few days. I know you're new too but you've waitressed in other places if I remember you saying that right?"

"Yeah that's right." You responded. 

"Okay, just make sure he gets help if he needs it."

"Sure thing boss!" You smiled and she winked as she walked away. You glanced around to see if you could spit anyone unfamiliar. Just then you heard a voice from behind you. 

"Well look who it is!" You turned your head slightly. Holy shit....it's that Dave guy from the beach who pulled you out of the water. 

"Oh hey, you're working here now?"

"Uh yeah, half time here and half time at the beach now....so you never called me." He gave you this awful cocky smile. 

"Yeah umm sorry? You said to call if I needed something but I'm fine." 

"I'd still think you would at least text me..." You stopped listening. God this guy was annoying as fuck. Finally someone came to place an order and you shooshed him. 

"Hey one sec," he looked at you painfully as you asked the old man what he wanted. The man smiled at you, and took a seat at the closest booth with his little wife. They looked so cute that it made you completely forget about Dave who was now pouting with his arms crossed. He looked over and realized what you were looking at. 

"I want that some day." He said. Oh god this bit. "Have a nice life with some pretty girl. She'll support me through my career and I'll provide for her. It'll be great! She'll stay home with our sons." He leaned himself on the bar and smiled at you. "Doesn't that sound great (y/n)?" He asked. Just before you could respond, another costumer came over to order. "Well, you just think on it now." Dave said and walked off after shooting a wink your way. Ugh that guy...

Two hours passed and you reached the climax of business. It was order after order for another hour and a half. Finally 11:00 and you're almost done. Dan and Arin wandered in with Ross and who you assumed was his wife he told you about. Quickly you tried to remember her name. "It starts with an h....Hannah, Hilary, holly... Holly! That's it!" You thought to yourself. 

"Hey guys!" You grinned as your friends approached the bar. 

"Hey (y/n). How's work" Arin spoke first. Everyone else waved. You spoke for a few minutes and introduced yourself to Holly. She was sweet and you loved her hair. They ordered a few things and took seats at the bar so they could talk with you. Dan was closest to you. You smiled at him and he grinned back. 

"So how is work goin for ya?" He asked. 

"Oh it's alright so far. Just got over the busy wave of people so that's good." 

"Yeah for real." 

"Hey you'll never guess who got a job here!" Just as you said that, Dave came out of the kitchen and right over to you. You watched Dan's expression change from happy and peaceful to upset and uncomfortable. 

"Hey (y/n) I know you're sorry about they way you acted earlier. It's totally fine I forgive you." Ugh thanks Dave's ego. "Woah hey it's your friend from the beach. Sup dude." You saw Dan physically swallow his anger. 

"Hi... What was it, Dave, right?" 

"Yeah and you're the guy that let (y/n) slip out of your hands and into the ocean. What was your name again?"

"It's Dan" God he was pissed now. "And I'll be leaving now thank you." Dan slammed a few dollars on the counter. "Keep the change." He stormed out and drove off. 

"Jesus fuck, his panties are wadded way up his butt cheeks." You looked at Arin who said that with the straightest face.

"What?...oh whatever bye." Dave got up and left the room." 

"Ok (y/n) what's up with that dude?" Asked Suzy. 

"He's a lifeguard named Dave who pulled me out of the water when the accident happened. He keeps hitting on me and he's a total asshole to Dan. Apparently he works here now." 

"What a dick." Grumbled Ross. After a few more minutes, the gang finished up, said bye and headed home. You finished your shift and returned to Suzy and Arin's. You took a long bath and relaxed. It was 1:45 by the time you got out. You spent a little time reading and stretching your muscles to try to make them feel better. Soon you fell asleep. 

The rest of the week pretty much went like that. Wake up early, work until noon, shower or bathe, read and stretch then fall asleep super early. You avoided Dave at work constantly now. The only difference was Dan texting you. He did it when work was slow and you appreciated the entertainment. 

Dan:  
'Hey there, how's work with the brainless ass today? :)'

You:   
'Better since I've been avoiding him.'

Dan:  
'Good move, we can't have you catching stupid now. I've heard it's contagious'

You:   
'Yeah I'm allergic to stupid people :)'

 

Finally it was Thursday. You had Friday off thank god. Your injuries were mostly gone which was great, but you really just wanted to get away from Dave. Upon returning home and getting in the shower, Suzy came to talk with you. You two had a girl day after work Wednesday because she felt you were being by yourself too much. You really were just tired. This time she came to talk about something else. 

"Hey (y/n)?" She knocked on your bedroom door quietly. 

"What's up Suz?" You asked and she came in and sat on your bed with you. 

"Do you wanna go mini golfing tomorrow? We're all gonna meet up and Dan's tomorrow around 4 and hang out, and we'll gold around 8. There's this really cute restaurant near by we're gonna try after."

"Yeah that sounds fantastic!"

"Okay cool, I'll let everybody know you're coming." She smiled and left. With a sigh, you flopped down on the bed and fell fast asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think about the story, plot, character behavior, etc in the comments and if you have a suggestion I'd love to hear it! Thanks!


End file.
